Amazon Category:  Drama Publisher: WaterBrook Press/Random House ISBN-10:  1578565782 Pages: 350 Copyright: June 2003 Wade Sullivan must fight for the children he loves after the death of their mother--his fiancée.

Publishers Weekly
In this thoughtful novel by Raney (Beneath a Southern Sky), multifaceted characters and a fresh story line keep the pages turning. Wade Sullivan, an appealing contractor, is anticipating his wedding to the love of his life, the divorced Starr Parnell. Starr's three delightful young children will give Wade an instant family, and he's already "dad" in the kids' minds. When Starr dies unexpectedly, her abusive ex-husband, Darrin Parnell, shows up to collect the kids—and the insurance money. Wade discovers that his own claim on the children is tenuous. Worried about his abilities as a parent, he reflects that perhaps it is time to let go. As the story progresses, Raney intertwines poignant moments with genuine humor and refuses to make her characters one-dimensional: although Darrin is a character readers might love to hate, Raney shows that he does have glimmers of love for his estranged children. Raney also doesn't sugarcoat Wade's abilities as a stepfather, letting him make ignorant mistakes that would cause a seasoned parent to cringe. Although the novel is sound, some of the few missteps are a conversion scene (which, while poignant, is oh-too-expected in an evangelical Christian novel) and the rushed romance at the conclusion of the story. This is one of Raney's best novels, however, and an excellent read for lovers of CBA fiction.

Romantic Times Book Club
Confirmed bachelor Wade Sullivan falls hard for Starr Parnell and her three small kids. Then a freak tragedy steals Starr from them all. Reeling in shock and questioning the worth of his faith, Wade has little time to grieve. Someone needs to look after the precious children and help them through their loss.
Together Wade and the children give meaning to each other's lives—until Starr's abusive ex-husband shows up on the doorstep demanding the kids. Wade, however, refuses to give them up without a fight.
Social service worker Dee Thackery is sent in to assess the situation, and she learns that what should be a simple custody case is far from it. She begins to see Wade and the children as more than another case, but she fears the outcome, since courts tend to rule in favor of the natural parent. Can prayer change the mind of a suave and violent man determined to have his kids and his ex-wife's insurance money?
Readers will lose their hearts to the characters in this jewel of a story. Polished and excellently plotted, Raney's novel is engrossing from start to finish.